Slumdog Millionaire: Indian political parties squabble over hit song Jai Ho

The din of political battle often accompanies India's elections but this year it has a catchier rhythm after a war of words erupted over the hit song from multiple Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. The two largest parties have both used Jai Ho – Be Victorious – in campaign rallies, creating a fresh battlefront in the bid for votes. The song appears in the closing moments of the film, where the main characters lead a Bollywood dance in Mumbai's main train station. The ruling Congress party has bought the exclusive rights to play the song, which was written by double Oscar-winner AR Rahman, at their election rallies, said a senior party official, Digvijay Singh. The Congress party said it would be playing the song at rallies and in commercials leading up to the national elections, which will be held in five phases beginning in April at the end of the ruling party's five-year term. The main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), has protested, saying the song is "public property". "Anyone should be able to use the song. Jai Ho should not belong to anyone; it belongs to the country," Atul Shah, a member of the BJP campaign committee, told the NDTV news channel. Lawyers representing Percept Picture Company, which is handling the Congress party's media campaign, have warned the BJP of legal action if it used the song in its poll campaign. The Congress party paid 10m rupees (£140,000) for the song rights. The Congress party, headed by Sonia Gandhi, sees the song as a way of connecting with the "common man". However many internet comments condemned the move, saying it was "sad [that the song] is being used by a political party". "People associate the song to victory and hope, not a victory to a political party," wrote one man from south India. Although Slumdog Millionaire has become a big box office success after its triumph at the Oscars, it initially had a lukewarm reception in India. Critics complained about the portrayal of the country and that the film had purveyed "poverty porn". It seems that the Congress's move may allow the BJP to capitalise on this sentiment. Narendra Modi, one of the BJP's most prominent politicians, said: "If it were not for Congress misrule for the last 60 years, there would be no slums and then no Slumdog and no Oscar."